knead. bake. cook.http://kneadbakecook.com/Thu, 15 Mar 2018 04:01:11 +0000en-USSite-Server v6.0.0-13633-13633 (http://www.squarespace.com)Butterscotch BlondiesbakeKara ChinThu, 15 Mar 2018 03:48:26 +0000http://kneadbakecook.com/blog/2018/3/14/butterscotch-blondies5508c899e4b0a308ed6ba859:550a7525e4b09f97e8986151:5aa734a5c83025af3fbfb6bbDeciding what to bake can be either a ridiculously easy task or one that
makes me change my mind a hundred times up until the last minute I am about
to bake.
Or sometimes, I don't even bake at all. Shocker! It happened this past
weekend.
Often times, I am trying to use up something that I already have—some fruit
that is reaching its prime, some special ingredient that I used in
something else or often something out of my freezer. Instead of baking this
past weekend, I made a freezer inventory list. It probably has over 50
items on it which is kind of amazing considering how small my freezer is.
But, I was happy about that. It's now the most organized I have seen it in
a long time. After several frozen fingers and some cursing, it will
hopefully make it easier for me to finish little bits of this and that that
I tend to accumulate so I can go forth and make new things!
Speaking of new things, I love it when I already have everything I need to
bake. It's basically validation that the recipe was meant to be. When it
came to this recipe, it sat on the back burner for quite a lot less time
than usual. I stumbled upon it reading Molly Wizenberg's blog, Orangette
which I go back to when I can. She has some of the most thought-provoking
and beautiful writing. I aspire to write as well as she does. The recipes
she shares are often simple but flavorful like these Butterscotch Blondies
she shared from The Violet Bakery Cookbook. Deciding what to bake can be either a ridiculously easy task or one that makes me change my mind a hundred times up until the last minute I am about to bake.

Often times, I am trying to use up something that I already have—some fruit that is reaching its prime, some special ingredient that I used in something else or often something out of my freezer. Instead of baking this past weekend, I made a freezer inventory list. It probably has over 50 items on it which is kind of amazing considering how small my freezer is. But, I was happy about that. It's now the most organized I have seen it in a long time. After several frozen fingers and some cursing, it will hopefully make it easier for me to finish little bits of this and that that I tend to accumulate so I can go forth and make new things!

Speaking of new things, I love it when I already have everything I need to bake. It's basically validation that the recipe was meant to be. When it came to this recipe, it sat on the back burner for quite a lot less time than usual. I stumbled upon it reading Molly Wizenberg's blog, Orangette which I go back to when I can. She has some of the most thought-provoking and beautiful writing. I aspire to write as well as she does. The recipes she shares are often simple but flavorful like these Butterscotch Blondies she shared from The Violet Bakery Cookbook.

I have always been a true believer of blondies. Growing up, I always thought chocolate chip cookies were forbidden. My mom often refused to make them because she said they never came out right. Instead she would make Chocolate Chews, which are delicious but also not chocolate chip cookies. Blondies on the other hand were much easier to make and thick, moist and chewy. They were much less temperamental and if I asked nicely, she would make them for me so I could send them to my boyfriend at the time. They are also more sturdy to send via the mail and less prone to getting stale because of how thick they were (Pro-tip if you are looking for cookies to send).

When I saw that this recipe of blondies not only included the usual amounts of butter, sugar and chocolate but on top of that caramel shards, I immediately bookmarked this recipe for a very near future baking experience. It may be intimidating to make your own hard caramel. This was certainly my first time and I thought it had initially crystallized but it worked out in the end. I figured if it did crystallize, it would just be melted again anyways and it wouldn't matter. And if it was truly a fail, it was only sugar and water so I could try again. Once cooled, cut the caramel shards in pieces (no bigger than a quarter). If they are too big, it's like biting in a piece of hard candy. I think mine were a little too big in some places. Sorry to those who encountered such pieces! Cutting the shards is a bit nerve wracking. I felt like I should be wearing goggles or a welding mask as the shards are definitely capable of flying everywhere. Use caution but be brave, this is critical to this recipe.

The batter comes together in the usual manner of blondies batter. It's a two bowl type of thing where the liquids are whisked together in one bowl and the dry in another and then you can combine. No fancy equipment is necessary either which I love. For the chocolate, I chose dark chocolate bars that I roughly chopped in chunks. I wanted big pieces of chocolate to accompany the pieces of caramel shard.

I chose to double the original recipe since I was bringing these blondies to both a Hapkido movie night and to share at work. The original recipe calls to place the brownies in a 9"x13"-ish pan, but since I doubled it, I placed the dough in a half sheet pan (13"x19"-ish) and it worked beautifully. Once you spread the dough in the pan, carefully distribute the shards on top. It creates a cool glass-like effect which later looks like stained glass once they melt into the dough.

These are intoxicating coming out of the oven and I had to sneak a bite of the just warm cookie and melted caramel shard. At work, we are a big fan of going next door and buying a box of Heath Cookies. I am going to put it out there and say that these are "Better than Heath Cookie Blondies". Sorry to my friends in the bakery department, but I would definitely, definitely choose one of these any day. I am adding them into the list of things to make to woo everyone with baked goodness love.

Best of course, with a glass of milk.

I have to say, these are probably some of my favorite food photos I have taken in a long while. The blossoms really do make a dreamy difference.

Butterscotch Blondies

Notes
I doubled this recipe and it yielded approximately 30 2"x2" blondies. This quantity calls for saving half of the Caramel Shards for another batch, but since I doubled it, I used all of it.
The original recipe calls for milk chocolate, but I am a semisweet/bittersweet/dark fan so went that route. Feel free to use what you prefer!
For the Caramel Shards, use right away, or store leftovers in a plastic container or bag in the freezer for up to three months. Do not store in the fridge, or the caramel will soften and get tacky.
Ingredients
Caramel Shards
2 tablespoons water
150 grams (¾ cup) sugar
Blondies
250 grams (1 cup plus 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter
2 large eggs
300 grams (1¾ cups) golden brown sugar
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
240 grams (1¾ cups) all-purpose flour
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
1¼ teaspoons kosher salt
125 grams (4½ ounces) chocolate, chopped
75 grams (2½ ounces) caramel shards
Steps
Caramel Shards
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
Put the water into a small, light-colored saucepan. (Don’t use a dark-colored pan; you won’t be able to see the color of the caramel as it changes and darkens.) Add the sugar, and place over medium-low heat until the sugar starts to dissolve. Resist the temptation to stir the pan, because agitation will cause the sugar to crystallize around the edges. Once the sugar starts to dissolve, raise the heat to medium-high – watch the pan closely and constantly! – and continue to cook until the caramel is a dark golden brown, a deep shade of walnut.
Pour the caramel immediately onto the parchment paper in a thin, even layer. If necessary, lift and tilt the pan to coax the caramel to spread evenly. Allow to cool completely.
Lift the parchment from the sheet pan, and place on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut the cooled caramel into smallish shards, ideally no bigger than a quarter. Be careful, because the caramel is hard and the shards are sharp.
Blondies
Preheat the oven to 320°F. Grease a 9"x-13" (or thereabouts) baking pan, and line it with parchment.
In a small, heavy pan, melt the butter over low heat. Set aside to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and vanilla until frothy. Whisk in the melted butter.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and kosher salt. Add the flour mixture to the egg-and-butter mixture, along with the chocolate. Mix until just combined.
Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan, and smooth the top. Sprinkle the caramel shards over the top of the batter. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the center is puffed and looks set.
Leave to cool completely in the pan. Then cut into squares or rectangles of whatever size you’d like.
Store the blondies in an airtight container at room temperature. They’re best within three days.]]>Butterscotch BlondiesWeekly Wander #13Kara ChinMon, 12 Mar 2018 04:06:48 +0000http://kneadbakecook.com/blog/2018/3/11/weekly-wander-135508c899e4b0a308ed6ba859:550a7525e4b09f97e8986151:5aa5b4230852293611539b5aHappy Daylight Savings!
This is the first Daylight Savings in a long time that has felt the most
natural to me. Usually I am scrunching at the change even though it is
relatively minor compared to everything else in life. Maybe it's because
I'm usually not ready for it. Or that this time I didn't even realize it
was happening until two days ago. I thought it was next week. Or maybe
because California had its first glimpse of spring at the beginning of
February so it is less of a shock now. For whatever reason, I am embracing
the extra daylight in the evenings as if it has been here all along.
Happy Daylight Savings!

This is the first Daylight Savings in a long time that has felt the most natural to me. Usually I am scrunching at the change even though it is relatively minor compared to everything else in life. Maybe it's because I'm usually not ready for it. Or that this time I didn't even realize it was happening until two days ago. I thought it was next week. Or maybe because California had its first glimpse of spring at the beginning of February so it is less of a shock now. For whatever reason, I am embracing the extra daylight in the evenings as if it has been here all along.

As always, I forget how amazing spring is until I remember that it's the season of blossoms. California starts seeing blossoms as early as January and even earlier this year due to the unexpected warm weather in early February. This was nice news for those craving warmth and sunshine but not so much for the poor almond farmers who experienced freezing temperatures a few weeks ago. So we will have to see how almond farming and supply is in the next few months.

To ring in the days closing in on the spring equinox, here are some pear blossoms that I photographed a few weeks ago. I love how different blossoms from different types of fruit have a variety of colors, shapes and leaves. I will be sharing some other varieties that I have also photographed soon. I adore them way too much.

I didn't exactly wander outside to photograph these as is usual in this series. But, these clippings from a friend who was pruning trees are just as elegant and beautiful. And photographically, this was a completely different sort of challenge. It was an inside sort of wandering—trying to figure out the best lighting and styling.

Now it's just a waiting game until my seasonal allergies start. Thankfully, I am not allergic to these types of blossoms!

]]>Weekly Wander #13Sausage, Onions and Bell PepperscookKara ChinTue, 06 Mar 2018 05:28:47 +0000http://kneadbakecook.com/blog/2018/3/5/sausage-onions-and-bell-peppers5508c899e4b0a308ed6ba859:550a7525e4b09f97e8986151:5a85083071c10b7697e99492It's funny how sometimes the simplest recipes I want to post stay in the
queue for the longest time.
I haven't been quite sure what to write for the past few weeks. Well,
that's not entirely correct, I have had thoughts about it but have wondered
if I'd just be rattling off about stuff that no one really cares about and
are entirely unrelated to this dish. But, then I go back to the whole
this-is-my-blog-and-I-can-write-about-whatever-I want-to-write thing. I am
trying to not care what others think, but that is always hard. So here are
some thoughts and things that have happened since the beginning of
February. It's funny how sometimes the simplest recipes I want to post stay in the queue for the longest time.

I haven't been quite sure what to write for the past few weeks. Well, that's not entirely correct, I have had thoughts about it but have wondered if I'd just be rattling off about stuff that no one really cares about and are entirely unrelated to this dish. But, then I go back to the whole this-is-my-blog-and-I-can-write-about-whatever-I want-to-write thing. I am trying to not care what others think, but that is always hard. So here are some thoughts and things that have happened since the beginning of February.

The Weather—It finally, finally rained at the end of February. I was pretty worried that it never would and California would be in a horrible drought and everything would turn brown before March. But that did not happen and we got a few drops and snow in the mountains. I can't say much about summer drought conditions in California this year but it's better than nothing at all. Also, it hailed hard in Sacramento. I was in the mountains when that happened so I missed it but, being in real snow was excellent, too.

Vero—I was pretty anxious when Vero went "viral" a week ago. I was curious but at the the same time, reluctant to sign up for another social media and have another thing to keep track of. I stopped with Steller Stories because it was a lot of work, I'm not on Twitter, I'm barely on Facebook and even less so on Snapchat these days. Mostly, I'm just on Instagram which has it's own set of complications and everyone who is always grumbly about the algorithm. But, we will talk about that another day.

Lettering—Speaking of Instagram, at the beginning of January, I signed up for a weekly hand lettering challenge with Lauren Hom. For those of you who don't know what hand lettering is, it's like typography meets design meets calligraphy meets handwriting. It's something I have always been interested in but have never formally practiced. When I was younger, I used to spend a copious amount of time writing things out in fancy letters. Instead of doodling objects or people during class, I'd be doodling words and phrases but then I kind of forgot about it. I explain this whole story here. Needless to say, I have been enjoying the mental exercise and a different form of creativity. Like most creative people, I get in ruts where I am completely drained of any creative energy. These past few weeks have felt like that where I am just stuck and feel like I am doing the same thing over and over. It's good to try something different, something that you don't have much practice in so you can rework the muscles that have gone on autopilot. Other cures for this for me are reading, cleaning and being out in nature.

Other random things—Family complications and complexities, I need to work on my portfolio since it still seems like I am a student, the recipe page on this blog is still an un-alphabetical disorganized disaster, it's tax season and I'm always mentally telling myself to stop checking Instagram so much. But, I do learn some interesting things on it. Like, how to clean stemware so there are no spots, lettering tips and tricks, the pros of sous-videand Winter Olympics updates. Also, lately I've been watching Ugly Delicious. I like David Chang's take on foods that are deemed "ugly" because they are not the most visually beautiful but often the most tasty (kind of like this dish). I was initially a little on edge that he is so opinionated about certain things but I think he comes from a good place and perspective and wants to figure out the why in food. Watch it if you're looking for something new!

Despite life being kind of all over the place these last few weeks, one of the things that has remained my rock has been food making. I've since made a chuck roast, Chinese pork, bok choy and tofu, a Black Forest Cake but with raspberries instead of cherries, dumplings for like only the second time in my life, lentil soup that I thought was split pea until I wondered why it was so brown, an upside down lemon plum cake, cookies that broke the Internet and some blondies. I will share both of the last two things soon. I am also still slowly trying to clean out my pantry and freezer. It sometimes works and sometimes doesn't.

With this dish, I made it to use up the last package of chicken and apple sausage in my freezer along with these leftover vegetables from a photo shoot at work. If you ever drive on State Route 37 in California, in between Sears Point and Black Point, you may know what I mean.

This dish was something that was in an ex-boyfriend's family cookbook. When we were together, we made it often because it was easy and delicious. I've always kept this recipe in the back of my head for the same reasons of ease and deliciousness. This is often the recipe I go to when I want a quick and easy dinner. I've made it twice since the beginning of the year so it will be on the back burner for even longer. I'm sure I will get back to it soon. I've eaten it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It's great with a fried egg and some toast, or topped over rice or pasta.

I am personally a fan of not just using only red peppers but also an orange or a yellow pepper. Maybe they do all taste the same or I prefer the colors better but you can use any colors you like (except green, those definitely taste different). I also have a preference for Aidells Chicken and Apple Sausage but use any substitute you like for that as well!

Here's to a pleasant spring and a hopeful return of creative energy!

Sausage, Onions and Bell Peppers

Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 package, chicken and apple sausage, ⅛-inch slices
1 red onion, quartered and sliced into ~2-inch long strips
2 bell peppers, sliced into ~2-inch long strips
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Steps
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the sausage slices, red onion strips and bell pepper strips. Sauté for 20-25 minutes or until the sausage is browned and the onions and peppers have softened. Stir, every five minutes to distribute the cooking surface area. Add salt and black pepper during the last five minutes of cooking.
Serve with a fried egg or over pasta or rice.]]>Sausage, Onions and Bell PeppersChocolate Linzer CookiesbakeKara ChinWed, 07 Feb 2018 05:04:09 +0000http://kneadbakecook.com/blog/2018/2/6/chocolate-linzer-cookies5508c899e4b0a308ed6ba859:550a7525e4b09f97e8986151:5a792882c83025531db77458For this year's annual V-Day treat, I decided to go back to the basics with
heart-shaped cookies.
Not just any heart-shaped cookies, but chocolate Linzer cookies. If you
have been around here for a while, this is the third type of Linzer cookie
I have made although none of them have been particularly traditional. Maybe
someday, but for now, I am perfectly happy making untraditional renditions
of this Austrian favorite.
These came about because I was trying to use up some leftover jam I canned
and made last year. If I recall correctly, it was a mix of strawberry and
rhubarb on the crux of spring turning into summer. I was afraid the texture
would be all wrong but it was actually perfect for these cookies. Jams that
are too loose or wet make these cookies messier and more difficult to
handle and assemble. I found that using a jam that is more firm and thicker
is easier for Linzer cookies. The jam acts as a kind of glue that binds the
top and bottom cookie together.For this year's annual V-Day treat, I decided to go back to the basics with heart-shaped cookies.

Not just any heart-shaped cookies, but chocolate Linzer cookies. If you have been around here for a while, this is the third type of Linzer cookie I have made although none of them have been particularly traditional. Maybe someday, but for now, I am perfectly happy making untraditional renditions of this Austrian favorite.

These came about because I was trying to use up some leftover jam I canned and made last year. If I recall correctly, it was a mix of strawberry and rhubarb on the crux of spring turning into summer. I was afraid the texture would be all wrong but it was actually perfect for these cookies. Jams that are too loose or wet make these cookies messier and more difficult to handle and assemble. I found that using a jam that is more firm and thicker is easier for Linzer cookies. The jam acts as a kind of glue that binds the top and bottom cookie together.

I initially was hesitant whether rhubarb and strawberry would go well with chocolate. In fact, I hopped over to the grocery store to buy another type of jam and also stood in my kitchen buttering leftover scrap cookie bits with strawberry and rhubarb jam. In the end it worked out. I guess it's kind of like a different form of chocolate-covered strawberries. Yes, it's kind of brown but it is the perfect balance of sweet and sour.

Feel free to use whatever cookie cutter shapes you desire for these Linzer cookies. I had yet to use the heart-shaped cookie cutters I received from Popo, so this seemed the most appropriate time to bust them out. I also did not have a smaller heart-shaped cookie cutter for the center so I used a smaller ½-1 inch round cookie cutter. But if you are totally anti-Valentine's Day or hearts, any other shape is perfectly fine.

I am personally not a fan of the over commercialization that comes with Valentine's Day but hey, it's a reason as any to eat cookies so I will do just that.

And a panther one, just because. :)

Chocolate Linzer Cookies

Notes
Using cocoa powder to roll out the cookies instead of flour ensures that your cookies won't bake with a fine white crust around the edges.
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup cocoa powder
cocoa powder for dusting
½-¾ cup jam, flavor of your choice
1 tablespoon cocoa powder, for sifting on top
1 tablespoon powdered sugar, for sifting on top
Steps
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
Using a stand or hand mixer, cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add in the eggs one at a time, then vanilla extract, mixing well after each addition and making sure to stop and scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
Add in the cocoa powder. Mix well, stopping to scrape down the sides when needed. Slowly add in the flour mixture, and mix until smooth on low speed to avoid over mixing.
Shape the dough into two - three flat discs, wrap in plastic and chill for at least two hours or overnight.
When ready to bake preheat oven to 325º F.
Line baking sheets with parchment paper or non-stick baking sheets and set aside.
One disk at a time, remove the dough from the refrigerator. To roll out, sprinkle cocoa powder onto a counter or non-stick baking mat and roll out one of the discs to ⅛ inch thick. If the disc is too hard, let it at room temperature for 10 minutes. Using a larger heart-shaped cookie cutter, start cutting out the cookies, making sure you have an equal amount of bottom and top cookies. Using the smaller center cutter, make center cut-outs into the top cookies.
Transfer cookies onto the prepared cookie sheets and place at least 1-inch apart. Bake for 9 minutes or until the edges are firm and centers are puffed.
Cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack. Continue cutting out shapes with the rest of the dough.
Separate the top cookies from the bottom cookies. Place the top cookies on a plain cookie sheet. Whisk together the 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder and powdered sugar and gently sift an even layer on the top cookies. When ready to fill, spread about a ½ tablespoon jam on the bottom cookie, leaving ⅛ inch around the edges. Place a top cookie on top and carefully press together. Continue with the rest of the top and bottom cookies and the jam.
Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days or frozen for several months.]]>Chocolate Linzer CookiesPane Bianco Star BreadkneadKara ChinFri, 26 Jan 2018 06:06:06 +0000http://kneadbakecook.com/blog/2018/1/25/sundried-tomato-and-basil-star-bread5508c899e4b0a308ed6ba859:550a7525e4b09f97e8986151:5a6aabb1652dea69078c5e2bDear King Arthur Flour, I've unintentionally accomplished two of your
BakeAlong challenges in one go.
The first time I made a star-shaped bread was with a few Hapkido friends
about a year and a half ago. It was at the beginning of summer when the
weather was quickly turning too warm to make bread but we were determined.
Straight out of the oven, it was gushing Nutella, pillowy, chocolatey and
mmm, mmm, mmm. It is definitely on my list of things to remake (as soon as
I clear out more sweets). But who knows, I keep telling myself that almost
every week before I make something new.
Since the holidays were only a few weeks prior to when I made this at the
beginning of January, I decided to go for a more savory option. As is usual
in the KBC kitchen, I was of course, trying to use up something. This time
it was sun-dried tomatoes which I have been meaning to incorporate into
bread for a while now. As is also usual, I was running about a hundred
different scenarios of how this bread could be. Would it be a pizza?
Something kind of like a savory babka or other loaf-type bread? And what
other accompaniments? Meat? Cheese? Herbs? etc etc... Sometimes this goes
on too long so I just have to decide on something. Other times, I finally
decide on something only to change my mind and go in a completely different
direction. Dear King Arthur Flour, I've unintentionally accomplished two of your BakeAlong challenges in one go.

The first time I made a star-shaped bread was with a few Hapkido friends about a year and a half ago. It was at the beginning of summer when the weather was quickly turning too warm to make bread but we were determined. Straight out of the oven, it was gushing Nutella, pillowy, chocolatey and mmm, mmm, mmm. It is definitely on my list of things to remake (as soon as I clear out more sweets). But who knows, I keep telling myself that almost every week before I make something new.

Since the holidays were only a few weeks prior to when I made this at the beginning of January, I decided to go for a more savory option. As is usual in the KBC kitchen, I was of course, trying to use up something. This time it was sun-dried tomatoes which I have been meaning to incorporate into bread for a while now. As is also usual, I was running about a hundred different scenarios of how this bread could be. Would it be a pizza? Something kind of like a savory babka or other loaf-type bread? And what other accompaniments? Meat? Cheese? Herbs? etc etc... Sometimes this goes on too long so I just have to decide on something. Other times, I finally decide on something only to change my mind and go in a completely different direction.

On my great search across the Internet, I came across King Arthur Flour's recipe for Pane Bianco which I have neither tried nor made but the filling ingredients were exactly the sort of thing I was looking for. So I combined that with their basic bread dough from this Star Bread recipe and this Pane Bianco Star Bread was born.

The trickiest part about making Star Breads is rolling out each layer of dough into a 10" circle. I have the hardest time rolling things in circles. Whether it's cookie dough, bread dough or pie crust dough, it always ends up in a non-circular shape. So, be patient, if it rolls out like a square with rounded edges (see above photos), that's okay because you will cut it up and twist it in the end.

The best part about making Star Breads is twisting the strips together to create the effect of a fishtail braid with only two simple twists. It's truly one of the most exciting things when you get to see the bread coming together.

This bread is gorgeous unbaked and even more gorgeous when it comes out of the oven. Like most breads, is best eaten warm from the oven when the cheese is all melty. It would make a great snack while you create a main dish like Stuffed Shells with Spinach and Sausage!

And of course following that meal up with a Nutella Star Bread for dessert would be amazing. So many delicious carbs.

Pane Bianco Star Bread

Ingredients
Dough
½ cup lukewarm milk
¼ cup lukewarm water
2 teaspoons active dry or instant yeast
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 large egg
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
Filling
¾ cup shredded Italian-blend cheese or the cheese of your choice
½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes or your own oven-roasted tomatoes, minced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup chopped fresh basil, green or purple
Steps
To make the dough, place the milk, water, yeast, and 1 cup all-purpose flour in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
Add the egg, olive oil, salt, and the rest of the all-purpose flour. Mix to make a soft dough, then knead for 6 to 8 minutes, until smooth and supple. Place in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until doubled.
In the meantime, mix together minced sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and salt. Prepare cheese and basil. Set aside.
To assemble, divide the dough into four pieces and shape into balls. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
Place one piece of dough on a piece of parchment. Roll it into a 10" circle. Spread ⅓ of the sun-dried tomato and garlic mixture on the first layer of dough in an even layer. Sprinkle ⅓ of the cheese and ⅓ of the basil, leaving ½" around the outside edge uncovered.
Roll out the second ball of dough to the same size as the first. Place it on top of the first circle and repeat the three layers of filling. Again, repeat with the third ball of dough and the last ⅓ of filling. Roll out the last ball of dough and place it on top.
Place a 2" round biscuit cutter or drinking glass in the center of the dough to serve as a guide. Using a sharp knife, cut the larger circle into 16 equal strips, from the outside edge to the cutter/glass in the center, through all the layers. Using two hands, pick up two adjacent strips of dough and twist them away from each other twice, so the top side is facing up again. Repeat with the remaining strips of dough all the way around the circle. Remove the cutter/glass.
Pinch the ends of adjacent strips together all the way around the bread to create eight star-like points. Transfer the star on the parchment to a baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until noticeably puffy, about 45 minutes.
While the bread is rising, preheat the oven to 400°F. When risen, remove the plastic wrap and brush the star with a thin coat of the egg wash. Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, until nicely golden.
Remove the bread from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving warm.
Store any leftovers, well wrapped, in the refrigerator for a day or so. Freeze for longer storage.]]>Pane Bianco Star BreadCranberry, Raspberry and Blueberry Wonder Woman PiebakeKara ChinThu, 18 Jan 2018 04:10:49 +0000http://kneadbakecook.com/blog/2018/1/15/cranberry-raspberry-and-blueberry-wonder-woman-pie5508c899e4b0a308ed6ba859:550a7525e4b09f97e8986151:5a5d84b89140b7de43aa9c68I started a new section in the sidebar of this blog titled 'Fun Foods'.
Not that all food isn't fun—because it certainly is! As of late, I have
found myself gravitating towards foods that are more
"nerdy", geometrically pleasing or delve into my graphic design
background. Plus, these types of foods are a lot of fun to make and the
feedback is incredibly more enthusiastic.
Pro-tip: If someone you know loves a certain character or game or movie
etc., and you bake them something related to that favorite character, game,
movie, they will be so overcome with joy you cannot help but smile as you
make their unexpected dreams come true. I started a new section in the sidebar of this blog titled 'Fun Foods'.

Not that all food isn't fun—because it certainly is! As of late, I have found myself gravitating towards foods that are more "nerdy", geometrically pleasing or delve into my graphic design background. Plus, these types of foods are a lot of fun to make and the feedback is incredibly more enthusiastic.

Pro-tip: If someone you know loves a certain character or game or movie etc., and you bake them something related to that favorite character, game, movie, they will be so overcome with joy you cannot help but smile as you make their unexpected dreams come true.

When my boss' birthday was coming up last week, it was without any hesitation that my office decided on a Wonder Woman theme. Nicole has Wonder Woman dolls on her desk, her phone case is Wonder Woman themed, as is her phone wallpaper and her ringtone. And let's not forget her golden Wonder Woman earrings. I just knew that when she saw this pie, she would be so freaking excited. Luckily, she was a lot more than just freaking excited but ecstatic and overjoyed. Nicole always has the best level of enthusiasm for the everything.

The filling for this pie is something that I really chose because I wanted to use up a huge bag of cranberries in the freezer. But it was perfect because with the raspberries, blueberries and addition of demerara sugar on top of the crust, voila, I coincidentally was able to have all of the Wonder Woman colors. This recipe is adapted from this pie from Bon Appétit. I liked how in the description, it was described as so—"This pie is seasonless: Bake it in fall with fresh cranberries and frozen raspberries and blueberries. Come summer, use the reverse."

Win-win in my book. Pie should be eaten all year 'round.

As for the logo, look for the Wonder Woman logo on the interwebs, print it out so the width is no more than 10 inches wide, put on your favorite music, show or movie or even better the newest Wonder Woman movie and spend some time cutting out those four pieces. When it comes to working with the top crust, I highly recommend chilling the crust in the freezer when it starts getting soft. This took me about two times to work through. Be patient. It's so worth it in the end. And of course, I added stars to represent the original Wonder Woman comic. Gal Gadot's rendition is awesome, but I think it's always important to nod towards the original.

If you're not into Wonder Woman or are like "Really, Kara another tedious baked good?", that's totally okay! I would use the complete top crust and maybe cut out some stars or cut some slashes instead. The bottom line is that there will be pie and that it will be delicious whether eaten in the heat of summer or the dead of winter.

Also, don't throw away that leftover crust. Instead, make a leftover pie. Any fruit filling of your choice, and then top it with the rest of the rolled out crust.

*Queues Wonder Woman theme song... and exits.*

Cranberry, Raspberry and Blueberry Wonder Woman Pie

Notes
The crust can be prepped at least two days ahead or pulled from the freezer at least 12 hours before rolling it out. The top crust can also be prepped ahead. Cut out shapes and store in the freezer for up to two days prior. Freeze on a baking sheet and cover in plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn.
Ingredients
Crust 1 recipe double crust pie
Flour for rolling out crusts
Filling
12 ounces fresh (or frozen, thawed) cranberries, chopped
8 ounces fresh (or frozen, thawed) blueberries
8 ounces fresh (or frozen, thawed) raspberries
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1 tablespoon demerara or turbinado sugar
Steps
Prepare double pie crust according to instructions. Allow dough to chill in the fridge at least 2 hours.
Toss cranberries, blueberries, raspberries, and sugar in a large bowl to macerate. Let stand, tossing occasionally, until berries release their juices, 50–60 minutes.
Once the crust has chilled, take one portion of pie crust and roll into a 14" round, about ⅛-inch thickness. Place in a pie pan and trim and tuck the edges. Place in the fridge to chill. With the other portion of pie crust, roll again into a 14" round, about ⅛-inch thickness. Place on a piece of parchment paper or non-stick baking mat on top of a large baking sheet. Chill in the freezer until ready to cut.
Once berries have released their juices, drain them in a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl, reserving liquid. Set berries aside. Transfer liquid to a blender, add lemon juice, cornstarch, salt, 3 tablespoons flour, and ¼ cup berries. Purée until smooth. Transfer to a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Transfer purée to a large bowl, stir in lemon zest and reserved berries and toss to combine.
Remove bottom crust in the pie pan from the fridge. Pour filling into crust and chill in fridge while you work on the top crust design.
Meanwhile, pull your chilled and rolled top crust out of the freezer. Using your Wonder Woman logo cut-out and a sharp paring knife, carefully cut out the four individual pieces of the logo. As you continue to work, the dough will soften up. If you notice it is starting to pull as you run your knife around the logo, chill it again for 15 minutes at a time. Be patient, this is a process! Using a ~1½-inch star cookie cutter, cut out 10 stars as well.
Place a rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 375°F. Once all pieces have been cut out, remove the chilling pie out of the fridge and reassemble the logo on top of fruit with 6 stars on the top edge and 4 stars on the bottom. Place in the freezer to chill for another 15 minutes.
Brush the 10 stars, edge of the pie and Wonder Woman logo with egg wash and then top with the demerara/turbindino sugar. Place pie dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F, rotate pie, and continue baking, tenting with foil if crust is browning too quickly, until juices are bubbling and crust is golden brown, 45–60 minutes longer. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool at least 4 hours before slicing.]]>Cranberry, Raspberry and Blueberry Wonder Woman PiePork and BeansKara ChinWed, 10 Jan 2018 05:32:50 +0000http://kneadbakecook.com/blog/2018/1/9/pork-and-beans5508c899e4b0a308ed6ba859:550a7525e4b09f97e8986151:5a4f1398419202bdaaf0ce69After getting distracted by 73 Questions videos, starting with this one
with Daisy Ridley, I am back again with food.
December was filled with travel and holiday craziness so I never found the
chance to post a recipe over the holiday season. But, here are two
catch-up posts about some things that happened at the end of 2017. My
Christmas decorations are put away, holiday music playlists are moved to
the bottom of my Spotify account and only one string of twinkling LED
lights and two poinsettias remain.
So, here we are at the beginning of January and as I've written about
before, I'm not one to diet with the new calendar year. The idea of
counting calories, recording food and constantly checking on my weight
makes me anxious so I generally choose to stick to my same routine of
balance which means I can still have dessert at 8:45 p.m. if I eat my
fruits and vegetables too. After getting distracted by 73 Questions videos, starting with this one with Daisy Ridley, I am back again with food.

December was filled with travel and holiday craziness so I never found the chance to post a recipe over the holiday season. But, here are two catch-uppostsabout some things that happened at the end of 2017. My Christmas decorations are put away, holiday music playlists are moved to the bottom of my Spotify account and only one string of twinkling LED lights and two poinsettias remain.

So, here we are at the beginning of January and as I've written about before, I'm not one to diet with the new calendar year. The idea of counting calories, recording food and constantly checking on my weight makes me anxious so I generally choose to stick to my same routine of balance which means I can still have dessert at 8:45 p.m. if I eat my fruits and vegetables too.

January is all cold (by California standards) and still dark so I agree with Molly in that it's all about the comfort food this time of year. Who wants to munch on a bowl of salad when there are warming and hearty foods to be had! We'll save the salads for the heat of summer.

To be honest, I made these Pork and Beans almost two months ago but they are definitely still applicable in these winter months. And I have finally finished them. This recipe makes a lot, so naturally I froze half of it in small containers when I would need them the most. The addition of fresh herbs, like thyme, really make a difference in the flavor. I like it almost like a soup as the pork and beans mix together to create a broth that is half bean-y and half pork-y.

I was first introduced to this recipe by my Auntie Julie who loosely followed a recipe from Rancho Gordo Beans which is no longer to be found on the interwebs. It is very simply beans, pork, mirepoix, broth and herbs. I am a fan of meat, like pork shoulder/butt (which is the same thing) that gets all tender and falls apart when cooked but this could also work with a leaner cut like pork tenderloin. As for the beans, I still had some leftover cranberry beans from the last time I made this but any heirloom-type bean would also work. Soaking them the night before is highly recommended. I've not had much luck with beans getting creamy with any quick method but then again I haven't tried it that many times. So do what you do best when it comes to soaking or not soaking your beans.

The next day, sear the pork, add the veggies, herbs and drained beans, cover with broth and let simmer until the meat is tender falls apart. This is best shared with anyone who wants to come over and warm up from the cold. I guarantee there will be plenty to pass around.

Back to a rotation of 73 Questions, The Crown and figure skating.

Pork and Beans

Yields: 10-12 servings

Ingredients
1 cup cranberry beans (or other beans of your choice)
Water to cover
2.5-3 lb. pork shoulder or butt.
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 small or 1 large yellow onion, diced
3 celery ribs, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
8 cups chicken broth
Steps
The night before, place cranberry beans in a large bowl. Cover with water and an extra inch to spare for when the beans expand. Soak overnight or at least 8 hours.
The next day, drain beans and set aside. Pat pork shoulder/butt dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper. Be sure to cover all of the surface with the seasoning. Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. When the oil starts to smoke, add pork shoulder/butt to the pot. Sear for about 5 minutes each side or until each side is nicely browned and caramelized. Once seared, remove to a plate and set aside.
Add diced onion, celery ribs, and carrots to the pot and sauté, until slightly brown and fragrant. Season with salt and pepper. Scrape the bits off the bottom as you can. Add in garlic, bay leaf and thyme. Pour in 1 cup of chicken broth to deglaze the pot. Continue to scrape the bottom of the pan until all the browned bits are released. Add pork shoulder/butt and drained beans back into the pot and pour in the rest of the chicken broth.
Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cover and allow to simmer gently for about 2 hours or until the pork shoulder/butt is falling apart and beans and veggies are tender. Remove pork shoulder/butt and shred meat with two forks. Add it back into the pot and stir to combine.
Serve hot with toasted bread and butter. Keep in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for several months.]]>Pork and BeansWinding Down 2017...adventuresKara ChinFri, 05 Jan 2018 05:13:15 +0000http://kneadbakecook.com/blog/2018/1/4/winding-down-20175508c899e4b0a308ed6ba859:550a7525e4b09f97e8986151:5a4db63c0852294d69e78fe4With all of the holiday craziness and travel, here are some photos from my
December adventures both near and far. I was super excited to take my new
lens along. After taking too long trying to 1) decide to get it and 2)
figuring out used lens logistics, I am pleased with the results and quality
of my (hopefully) final choice for a while now. With all of the holiday craziness and travel, here are some photos from my December adventures both near and far. I was super excited to take my new lens along. After taking too long trying to 1) decide to get it and 2) figuring out used lens logistics, I am pleased with the results and quality of my (hopefully) final choice for a while now.

In mid-December, there was a short trip to Hawaii filled with family, friends, Christmas shopping and food.

It was surprisingly cold when I got there but a nice change compared to the usually overly hot and humid summers. As always, things have changed. I hardly recognize walking around Ward and Ala Moana anymore. But some things never change—the views, the people, the food.

Photos taken from Ala Moana Beach Park, the KCC Farmers Market and the Mount Tantalus Lookout.

On Christmas Day, I took a short hike to the top of the hill behind my dad's house. It was actually pretty cool to see that things weren't as dead as I thought they would be and a reminder that there is beauty to be found everywhere, no matter which place or which season. There is more to be seen than just green grass and changing leaves!

This is probably my favorite photo of the month. I love the refreshing simplicity and the vast white space.

And lastly, a day in the city, hitting all the usual spots and some new ones. It was gorgeous and beautiful and quite warm! But, I wasn't complaining...

Photos taken from the Salesforce West Tower, Hyatt Regency San Francisco, Coit Tower, Union Square, Ferry Building Marketplace and SFMOMA.

]]>Winding Down 2017...Kitchen Mishaps of 2017kitchen mishapsKara ChinMon, 01 Jan 2018 18:17:56 +0000http://kneadbakecook.com/blog/2018/1/1/kitchen-mishaps-of-20175508c899e4b0a308ed6ba859:550a7525e4b09f97e8986151:5a44819371c10b32751afc5bHello, 2018!
It may be slightly counterproductive to start off the year with talking
about all of my kitchen disasters from 2017, as traditionally a new year is
about fresh starts but I'm both a bit behind on blog posts and it's fun to
reflect on what happened over the past year so I can improve for this
upcoming year! So bear with me, as this post and the next post are still
all about 2017. Hello, 2018!

It may be slightly counterproductive to start off the year with talking about all of my kitchen disasters from 2017, as traditionally a new year is about fresh starts but I'm both a bit behind on blog posts and it's fun to reflect on what happened over the past year so I can improve for this upcoming year! So bear with me, as this post and the next post are still all about 2017.

Compared to 2015 and 2016, this year was relatively light when it came to mishaps in the kitchen. Maybe it was because I was making far less food compared to the last few years since Kristen moved to Hawaii and I started living solo? Or maybe I've improved? Mostly I think it was because of the former and also I didn't really go wild and experiment this past year. I pretty much stuck to tried and true, easy favorites with the goal of being better at following recipes.

Around Christmas, I thought I wasn't going to have anything to write about here but then this crust fail happened. A few posts ago, I talked about my goal of not having any more soggy bottoms in my meringue pies. From mid-November to end of December, I made five meringue pies with the intention of working on my blind baking crust technique. After following and playing around with these instructions, I found that rice actually works better than ceramic pie weights because it covers more surface area. I also found that you want to pull out the crust when it is golden brown and flaky as it's not going to bake anymore when you put it back in the oven to brown the meringue. So come December 23, I decided to blind bake the crust the night before so I would be able to save myself time on Christmas Eve. What I didn't take into account was that I was using a convection oven which doesn't automatically cool down like a regular oven does. I was trying to be smart by leaving the crust in the oven to cool overnight but in reality, it just browned into a very, very dark cracker. So, lesson learned when it comes to baking in different ovens.

That was probably the most memorable mishap of 2017. Other than that, I had a very bad homemade chicken broth experience because I think the peels and such that I was using were incredibly bitter. And I made a standing rib roast for New Year's Eve which was slightly more done than I would have liked but still good and I am glad that I tried to make one. It is far less intimidating than it seems!

Here are some goals for 2018 at the knead. bake. cook. Headquarters (aka my mind):

]]>Kitchen Mishaps of 2017Thanksgiving 2017adventuresKara ChinTue, 28 Nov 2017 05:57:25 +0000http://kneadbakecook.com/blog/2017/11/27/thanksgiving-20175508c899e4b0a308ed6ba859:550a7525e4b09f97e8986151:5a1b9d830d92971bbc08b8c9This is the third year I've blogged about my Thanksgiving and my family
undoubtedly knows the routine now.
The running joke was to make "everything pretty" because they knew I would
be taking pictures. It made me think about food photography as a whole and
stylized shots vs. lifestyle shots and the need to capture a certain
aesthetic because it has to look good. I do care about how things look in
terms of having a visual eye to highlight the best parts of what I am
trying to capture but I don't want to do it at the expense of people
feeling uncomfortable or self conscious. And sometimes, I am just plain
immersed in what I am doing that I forget.This is the third year I've blogged about my Thanksgiving and my family undoubtedly knows the routine now.

The running joke was to make "everything pretty" because they knew I would be taking pictures. It made me think about food photography as a whole and stylized shots vs. lifestyle shots and the need to capture a certain aesthetic because it has to look good. I do care about how things look in terms of having a visual eye to highlight the best parts of what I am trying to capture but I don't want to do it at the expense of people feeling uncomfortable or self conscious. And sometimes, I am just so immersed in what I am doing that I forget.

For me, Thanksgiving is a chaotic meal but in a good way. In my family, it's never been a glamorous event where the table is neatly set, the best china is out, and it all takes place in a room with the most gorgeous lighting and decorations. And I like the casual energy of my Thanksgiving—the energy of things being churned out in the kitchen while the kids run around and everyone is chattering away. There's so much going on, that it is easy to just blend in. It seems contrary to what my introverted self is drawn to but I like the presence of everyone being there while I do what I do best which is to help make the food and photograph bits and pieces along the way.

I almost didn't want to photograph this year and just enjoy what was happening, but I just have the need to capture food and after all Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Like last year, I got up crazy early to make the Pumpkin Cinnamon Bread. I forgot it takes a lot longer to shape and bake than I think it will. A note to future Kara—it takes 30 minutes to shape, 45 minutes for a second proof and 1 hour to bake at 350ºF and don't forget to cover the top with foil! Fortunately, the top didn't burn black and the bread was still light and moist inside. And making a Yuzu Meringue Pie is not weird for Thanksgiving. Blind baking the crust the night before is also a good idea.

Of course, Kristen and I got there early to make the stuffing. My second cousin's husband commented that we were in the exact same spot as we were last year—near the stove, making the stuffing. After a pound of butter later, it was just right. One of these days, I will have to figure out how to make it on my own. But, I think it is all in the seasoned wok and the touch of Popo.

And then it was on to the gravy. I guess our turkey was not very fatty this year because the gravy would not thicken! But, we ended up figuring it out in the end and the turkey was spectacular. It was probably the juiciest I have remembered and I don't think we have ever had a dry, dry turkey.

I also had the first drink I've had in probably a year?? And nothing has changed, I still don't like the taste of alcohol even if the drink was rather good. And no it's not the foamy fruit punch but rather the cranberry-apple-sangria-type thing. I had a conversation with my cousins about what it is like to drink any sort of alcohol. We concluded that it is like getting a hangover while drinking. I will continue to eat my calories instead.

Compared to last year's chilly weather, it was a gorgeous day with perfect weather for sitting outside while looking at my great aunt's fall tinged garden and eating some of my favorite foods.

I will have to say, I know it's tradition, *whispers* but I don't think I really like the prism jello... I think this is the first time I have tried it in years and I still don't like it. But that is totally okay, because there's more for everyone else.

I should work on trying to replicate the stuffing because as always, I wish I had more of it to eat...

]]>Thanksgiving 2017Pear & Caramel PiebakeKara ChinTue, 14 Nov 2017 06:00:16 +0000http://kneadbakecook.com/blog/2017/11/13/pear-caramel-pie5508c899e4b0a308ed6ba859:550a7525e4b09f97e8986151:5a0a630724a6942e8442674cI've found a new pie that just *might* be my new favorite.
For a long, long time, I have loved Lemon Meringue Pie. And in most recent
years, this yuzu variation, which is essentially the same thing but with a
different citrus. It's the dessert I would make almost every time I would
visit Popo. I would crave that pucker-y custard filling and fluffy meringue
topping. I'm not sure what I did the last time I made it, or maybe it
really is best eaten the same day it comes out of the oven but I have found
that I am not really fond of leftover Lemon Meringue Pie anymore. Maybe I
am not blind baking the crust enough or maybe I should try brushing the
bottom with egg white? Has anyone tried this? But for whatever reason, the
fact that the crust gets soggy/syrup-soaked in Lemon Meringue Pie no longer
appeals to me. I dread it and in general I really love leftovers and have
loved leftover Lemon Meringue Pie in the past. So, I have found that I
don't gravitate towards Lemon Meringue Pie as much as I used to unless I
know I will be sharing it with enough people to eat it all on the same
day. I've found a new pie that just *might* be my new favorite.

For a long, long time, I have loved Lemon Meringue Pie. And in most recent years, this yuzu variation, which is essentially the same thing but with a different citrus. It's the dessert I would make almost every time I would visit Popo. I would crave that pucker-y custard filling and fluffy meringue topping. I'm not sure what I did the last time I made it, or maybe it really is best eaten the same day it comes out of the oven but I have found that I am not really fond of leftover Lemon Meringue Pie anymore. Maybe I am not blind baking the crust enough or maybe I should try brushing the bottom with egg white? Has anyone tried this? But for whatever reason, the fact that the crust gets soggy/syrup-soaked in Lemon Meringue Pie no longer appeals to me. I dread it and in general I really love leftovers and have loved leftover Lemon Meringue Pie in the past. So, I have found that I don't gravitate towards Lemon Meringue Pie as much as I used to unless I know I will be sharing it with enough people to eat it all on the same day.

But, that doesn't mean I won't ever make it or won't ever eat it again or that it is no longer my favorite. Someone in my family has requested Lemon Meringue Pie for Thanksgiving which I am happily looking forward to making because there is no chance I will run into the soggy bottom dilemma and there will be plenty of people to eat it. Maybe then it will come back up in the ranks as one of my favorite pies once I eat it again.

This Pear & Caramel Pie is the pie I would make if I knew I wanted leftover pie. Not to say that it isn't best when it is fresh, because it is! It keeps well and makes an excellent breakfast or dessert the next day. Whether or not food keeps well as leftovers is often the motto of the food I make these days. Along with, "Does this use up X ingredient?".

I have always gravitated towards apples in pie but that seemed kind of boring to me this year. My friend Jenny has a Kieffer Pear Treewhich produce some of the best baking pears. They are a firm pear and not too sweet, similar to an Asian Pear. When baked, they are still juicy, still hold their shape and pair so nicely with the caramel sauce. Oh, I am such a sucker for caramel anything.

I received Yossy Arefi's book, Sweeter off the Vinefor my birthday and I knew I had to make this pie. It's rare that I look through a cookbook and want to make everything in it. Immediately upon reading it, I was drawn to everything—the theme, the photography, the styling, the recipes, the colors and even the design. Since I made that Caramel Cake for my birthday, I still had a bunch of the sauce leftover just waiting to be put into something. So this pie was an obvious must.

I love pies (or any dessert really, that is sweet but not sugary). In this pie, the pears really shine, the crust is wonderfully flaky (I went with my old standard), and the caramel helps create a beautiful "self serving" sauce. No gloopy filling to be found here!

I ate my slice with an additional drizzle of caramel sauce but whipped cream or vanilla ice cream would have also "peared" nicely with it. ;)

It's been a while since I've eaten a dessert and thought, "Man, this is the stuff!" but that is definitely what went through my mind when eating this pie. It just further solidified my belief in #teampie even after I had the best cake I've had in a long while only the week before.

And what do you do with leftover crust bits and extra filing? Make a leftover mini pie, like this one.

Pear & Caramel Pie

Ingredients
1 recipe double crust pieCaramel Sauce
2 cups granulated sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1½ cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
Pear Filling
2½ pounds ripe but firm pears
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup all purpose flour
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
4 teaspoons lemon juice
1 large egg, lightly beaten for egg wash
Steps
Prepare double pie crust according to instructions. Allow dough to chill at least 2 hours.
To make the caramel sauce, in a large, dry skillet, heat the sugar over medium-high heat. Cook the sugar until it melts into a medium golden color. Remove from the heat and carefully whisk in the butter, a tablespoon at a time. Whisk in the heavy cream.
Return the skillet to medium heat and cook until thick, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt. Carefully pour into a heat-safe container and cool. Sauce will thicken as it cools. Reserve ½ cup for the pie filling.
As the sauce thickens, remove one half of chilled pie crust dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface, roll out into a roughly 12-inch circle about ⅛ to ¼-inch thick. Place into a 9-inch pie pan and store in the refrigerator while you prepare the rest of the pie.
To make lattice top, roll out the other piece of dough into a 12-inch circle about ⅛ to ¼-inch thick, and cut into 2-inch wide strips. Transfer the strips to a baking sheet and refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
Peel and core the pears and slice them into ¼-inch slices. Put them in a large bowl along with the sugar, flour, spices, and lemon juice and stir gently to combine.
Add half of the pears to the pie shell, drizzle the ½ cup caramel sauce over the top, then add the remaining pears. Lay out half of the prepared dough strips evenly spaced on top of the filling. Fold every other strip back, then place a dough strip in the center. Unfold the strips you folded back over the center strip. Take the parallel strips that are underneath the center strip and fold every other one back over the center strip. Lay down another strip next to the center strip, leaving a little space between. Unfold the parallel strips over the second strip. Repeat until all of the dough strips have been used.
Preheat oven to 425ºF.
Trim off the excess lattice and fold the edges of the bottom crust up and over the lattice strips. Crimp the edges together. Slide the whole pie into the freezer until the crust is very firm, about 15 minutes, before baking.
When ready to bake the pie, place it on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Beat the egg, then brush the top of the pie with egg wash.
Bake the pie until it is a deep golden brown and the juices are bubbling, 45 to 55 minutes. If the crust begins to burn before the filling bubbles, tent it with aluminum foil. Cool slightly before serving. Serve with an extra drizzle of caramel sauce.]]>Pear & Caramel PieChocolate Angel Food CakebakeKara ChinMon, 06 Nov 2017 05:23:49 +0000http://kneadbakecook.com/blog/2017/11/5/chocolate-angel-food-cake5508c899e4b0a308ed6ba859:550a7525e4b09f97e8986151:59fa91ef0846654cd8e3b32fHello... I am back from my short hiatus with cake.
Here we are in November where the weather has taken a turn and Thanksgiving
is starting to nudge more permanently in my mind and thoughts. October was
a blur. Since I last posted, fires continued to blaze through Sonoma, Napa
and Mendocino counties, I turned 25 and transformed into a Hobbit for the
day.
It was difficult to find the right words to say these past few weeks and to
put myself out there on the Internet. It's challenging to balance stuff
that is going on in the world without either ignoring it or sounding like
everything is always so dreary. Even though I wasn't here, I was still
making food, working on some Hapkido projects but mostly enjoying my
introvert time. It made me grateful that I don't blog full-time or have to
be "on" the Internet full-time but I suppose if this was my job rather than
a personal hobby, it would be a little different. It was especially nice to
take a break from posting on Instagram for a while. But, we'll talk about
my feelings about Instagram on another day.Hello... I am back from my short hiatus with cake.

Here we are in November where the weather has taken a turn and Thanksgiving is starting to nudge more permanently in my mind and thoughts. October was a blur. Since I last posted, fires continued to blaze through Sonoma, Napa and Mendocino counties, I turned 25 and transformed into a Hobbit for the day.

It was difficult to find the right words to say these past few weeks and to put myself out there on the Internet. It's challenging to balance stuff that is going on in the world without either ignoring it or sounding like everything is always so dreary. Even though I wasn't here, I was still making food, working on some Hapkido projects but mostly enjoying my introvert time. It made me grateful that I don't blog full-time or have to be "on" the Internet full-time but I suppose if this was my job rather than a personal hobby, it would be a little different. It was especially nice to take a break from posting on Instagram for a while. But, we'll talk about my feelings about Instagram on another day.

I've always been an avid member of #teampie but ever since making my birthday cake, I've been dreaming about taking a stab at cake more often than I have in the past. Most of those dreams revolve around layered cakes, ombre colors, cake stands and piping bags but first lets take a step back to good ol' cake with no frosting and no fluff. Homemade Angel Food Cake (like most things homemade) is a thousand times better than anything store-bought. Kristen was really into Angel Food Cake for a while. For my 21st birthday, Kristen made me a Vanilla Angel Food Cake with Chocolate Ganache and chocolate chips nestled on top. We were staying with Popo that weekend and they both surprised me by setting up the cake and a bottle of champagne in the backyard. It was a sweet memory and I recall that Angel Food Cake being moist, fluffy and slightly sticky with a light crumb and delicate flavor that was more than just sweet.

Several years later, we were watching the Great British Bake Off and Angel Food Cake was a Technical Challenge. We were on the edge of our seats waiting to see which contestants remembered not to spray the pan and cool theirs upside down. It was sooo nerve-wracking at times. Unlike any other type of conventional cake, you don't want to spray the Angel Food Cake pan (!) and you want to cool it upside down for maximum airiness and fluffiness. It can feel like you are breaking all of the cake making rules (which you kind of are) but this cake is an exception to that rule.

This Chocolate Angel Food Cake came from a desire to clean out my freezer (it is always a mad house) and all of the extra egg whites I had been hoarding. I've never had a chocolate version of Angel Food Cake so that was a must to try. And why wouldn't you try a chocolate version of it? It turns out a little bit denser than its vanilla counterpart and lightly chocolatey but definitely not dry and definitely still very tasty. I liked this paired with mango and a glass of milk—cake always goes well with milk. But you could also top it with a ganache or raspberries or strawberries, too. And if you're old fashioned, that is what an Angel Food Cake cutter looks like. Popo would call it "an old timey giveaway" but presently I think it could be considered as a vintage collectible.

An extra "so good" cake.

Chocolate Angel Food Cake

Notes
As said above, do not grease your Angel Food Cake pan and be sure to suspend it upside down immediately after you remove it from the oven.
Ingredients
16 large egg whites (2 cups)
4 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder
¼ cup boiling water
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1¾ cups granulated white sugar, divided
1 cup sifted cake flour
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
Powdered sugar for dusting
Steps
Preheat oven to 350°F and place rack in center of oven. Have ready a 10-inch two piece angel food cake (tube) pan.
Separate 16 eggs, whites in one bowl and yolks in another. Cover whites with plastic wrap and bring to room temperature (about 30 minutes). Cover yolks and store in refrigerator or freezer for another use like crème brûlée.
In a small measuring cup or bowl combine the cocoa powder and boiling water and stir until smooth. Stir or whisk in the vanilla extract. Set aside.
In another bowl whisk together ¾ cup granulated white sugar, the sifted cake flour, and the salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the remaining 1 cup granulated white sugar until stiff peaks form.
Remove 1 cup of the beaten egg whites and whisk it into the cocoa powder mixture to lighten it.
To the remaining egg whites, gradually sift the flour mixture over the egg whites (about ¼ cup at a time) and gently but quickly fold the flour into the egg whites. You can use a large wire whisk, large rubber spatula or an angel food cake folder for this task. Once you have incorporated the flour mixture into the egg whites fold in the cocoa powder mixture. (It is important not to overmix the batter or it will deflate.)
Pour the batter into the pan (it will be almost full) and run a metal spatula or knife through the batter to get rid of any air pockets. Smooth the top and bake in the oven for about 40 to 45 minutes. It is done when a wooden skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean and the cake springs back when gently pressed. The top of the cake will have cracks.
Immediately upon removing from the oven invert the pan. Suspend the pan by placing the inner tube on the top of a soda or wine bottle. Allow the cake to cool for about 1½ hours.
When completely cool, run a metal spatula or knife around the sides of the pan to loosen the cake and then remove the cake from the pan. Next, run a metal spatula or knife along the bottom and center core of the pan and remove. Place onto a serving plate. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.]]>Chocolate Angel Food CakePeanut Butter Blossom CookiesbakeKara ChinWed, 11 Oct 2017 04:22:15 +0000http://kneadbakecook.com/blog/2017/10/10/peanut-butter-blossom-cookies5508c899e4b0a308ed6ba859:550a7525e4b09f97e8986151:59d4554a4c0dbfb29da495f5With everything that has been going on lately—the tragedy in Las Vegas,
fires in Napa/Sonoma County area and everywhere else in California and the
loss of a dear chef/colleague, I think it is time to take things slow and
make cookies. With everything that has been going on lately—the tragedy in Las Vegas, fires in Napa/Sonoma County area and everywhere else in California and the loss of a dear chef/colleague, I think it is time to take things slow and make cookies.

Since the beginning of October, the fall weather has been amazing. I was finally been enjoying the coolness and slight change in the leaves but currently that has been more subdued by the craziness that has happened the last few days. As I write this it is pretty scary how the fires in Napa/Sonoma counties and beyond have pretty much affected all of Northern California in terms of air quality and a layer of heaviness in this part of the world. As I exited Hapkido this evening at 5:30 p.m., the sun was a bright coral red and what was a blue sky had been overwhelmed by a brown, grimy film. It has a sense of foreboding that I don't like... and makes me miss clouds and beautiful days.

Even though I am far away from any fire danger, the presence of smoke and haze makes everything seem more real and that this is really happening less than 100 miles away from my home. But I will do my part to help through my day job, take things a little bit at a time and see where this all goes in the next few days.

But onto these cookies. These Peanut Butter Blossoms are beautifully simple and bring back memories of childhood and nostalgia. There are cookies that require more love and labor but I think these are perfect to bring on the joy of baking and comfort during times when you need it the most. When I made these as a kid, my favorite part was pressing in the candy kisses. When you press them in, they kind of just nestle into the center of the cookie which is a completely satisfying task to do. These have been around forever in my family and are definitely a classic-must-have cookie for any day unless you have a peanut allergy. In that case, any other nut butter would work in these, too.

In other news, I'm back to listening to Spilled Milk and it is just as glorious as ever.

Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

Ingredients
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup peanut butter or other nut butter
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup granulated sugar
30-36 chocolate candy kisses
Steps
In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter, peanut butter, the ½ cup granulated sugar and brown sugar. Once creamy, beat in egg and vanilla.
In another bowl stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture, blending thoroughly.
Place the ¼ cup granulated sugar in a small bowl. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and then in the sugar. Place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets.
Bake in a 350ºF oven for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, unwrap chocolate kisses. Remove cookies from oven and quickly top each with a kiss, pressing down until cookie cracks around edges. Return to oven and bake for 3 to 5 more minutes or until cookies are lightly browned and firm to the touch. Transfer to racks and let cool completely.]]>Peanut Butter Blossom CookiesGiant Apple Cinnamon Roll bakeKara ChinFri, 29 Sep 2017 04:35:03 +0000http://kneadbakecook.com/blog/2017/9/28/giant-apple-cinnamon-roll5508c899e4b0a308ed6ba859:550a7525e4b09f97e8986151:59c9c6138dd041ac35bb2cedThis is the result of Sunday's craving for a combination of apples,
cinnamon and fluffy yeasted bread.
I woke up last Sunday knowing I wanted to make something of that
combination but the options were endless. And off went my brain. Should it
be another kuchen? Or should I do this bakealong with King Arthur Flour
? Should it be a loaf? A braid? A round? Should I attempt kouign-amann
(someday, soon)? Apples sliced or diced? (tbh, I didn't do the KAF version
because it looked a little dry and I didn't find myself with potato flour
or instant mashed potatoes on hand.)
Finally, I forced myself to decide because if I didn't, I wouldn't have
enough time to photograph and go to hapkido (both are very important
things). And this is how this beautiful roll came about. And why waver
from something both simple and easy if you know it works? So I went back to
this kuchen dough from last week. This is the result of Sunday's craving for a combination of apples, cinnamon and fluffy yeasted bread.

I woke up last Sunday knowing I wanted to make something of that combination but the options were endless. And off went my brain. Should it be another kuchen? Or should I do this bakealong with King Arthur Flour? Should it be a loaf? A braid? A round? Should I attempt kouign-amann (someday, soon)? Apples sliced or diced? (tbh, I didn't do the KAF version because it looked a little dry and I didn't find myself with potato flour or instant mashed potatoes on hand.)

Finally, I forced myself to decide because if I didn't, I wouldn't have enough time to photograph and go to hapkido (both are very important things). And this is how this beautiful roll came about. And why waver from something both simple and easy if you know it works? So I went back to this kuchen dough from last week.

Let me say, I thought the plfaumenkuchen was amazing. But this was way, way better. I think I did something different with the dough. I realized halfway through adding the flour that I was adding by the one-third cup rather than the half cup so the end result of the dough was soft and squishy, rather than firm and more dense. Although I took a bread hiatus over the summer and do feel a little rusty, I think you can tell whether or not you have added too much flour when kneading your bread. I remember one of the first times I made bread, I was so frustrated that my dough was sticky. But that dough resulted in one of the moistest breads of my first bread-making days. And this dough also had that similar warming effect when you take a bite and know you have made it just right.

For the filling, you want to cook the apples down until they are soft and the juices are released so that the interior of the cinnamon roll does not get soggy. No soggy bread is allowed. Ever. Unless you are doing it on purpose like making a panade. To get this cinnamon roll effect, I made two long ropes rolled with the apple filling and spiraled them around each other. Attempting to figure out if the bread was done was tricky but I went with my gut and a thermometer and pulled it out just as it was done being baked. It could have used a few more minutes but thankfully it was so wonderfully soft and moist inside.

And what is a cinnamon roll without cream cheese frosting? I was honestly just using up stuff in my fridge or else it would have just been powdered sugar and lemon juice. The first round of cream cheese frosting I made was way too sweet and oddly lumpy. I had just used cream cheese, powdered sugar and milk. So I tried again, adding some lemon zest, lemon juice instead of the milk and sifted in the powdered sugar. The end result was just what I was looking for. Drizzled over this giant roll (I am a pro at making messes so I did this in the sink), I have to say that this bread is impressive and satisfies any apple, cinnamon, yeasted bread craving you are having. I would definitely take this over a apple fritter. Actually maybe any other apple cinnamon baked good.

And if you are wondering, I did get the lens that has been on my wishlist forever. This is the first post shooting with it. So, so nice. Hello, f2.8.

Giant Apple Cinnamon Roll

Yields: one 9-inch round cinnamon roll

Ingredients
Dough
½ cup milk
¼ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup butter
2 tablespoons warm water
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 egg
2 cups of flour plus more for kneading.
Apple Filling
2 tablespoons butter
2 medium Granny Smith Apples cubed into ¼-inch dice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon allspice powder
¼ teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon lemon rind
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
⅓ cup cream cheese, softened
¼ cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon lemon rind
4 teaspoons lemon juice
Steps
Bring milk to a simmer with sugar, salt and butter. Do not boil. Cool to lukewarm. To proof yeast, place water in a large, warm bowl. Sprinkle in yeast and stir until dissolved. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy. Stir in milk mixture making sure it has cooled to lukewarm and then add in the egg and half the flour. Beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture is very smooth. Keep adding flour until dough is somewhat stiff and tacky. Remove from the bowl and knead by hand adding a little bit of flour until the dough is cohesive, smooth and sticks together but not on your hands. This should take about 10 minutes.
Let the dough proof in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap and then a warm, damp towel. You can let it proof overnight or in a warm, draft-free place for about two hours or until doubled in size.
In the meantime, start prepping the apple filling. In a large skillet on medium heat, melt the butter. Add the apples, brown sugar, spices and lemon rind and continue to stir until the apples are soft and cooked through. Set aside to cool completely.
Butter or spray a 9-inch cake pan and set aside.
Once the dough has proofed, knock down the dough and knead 10 times to release any other air bubbles. Cut the dough in half. Cover one half loosely with plastic wrap and set aside. With the other half, roll into a long rope, approximately 18-inches long. Flatten the rope and with a rolling pin, thin out the dough so it is about 4-inches tall and as long as you can get it. For me, this was about 24ish inches. Place half of the filling in a neat row along the long edge closest to you. Begin rolling the dough back into a rope making sure to keep the filling from spilling out. Pinch the edges and ends to seal. In the cake pan, coil the filled dough in a spiral. Prepare the second half of dough same as the first but this time, continue the spiral until you have formed a giant cinnamon roll. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and a damp towel and set aside to proof again for another 45 minutes.
Bake in a 350ºF oven for 40-45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the inside is cooked through. This is a little tricky to tell so I used a thermometer to measure to ~160ºF or until it came out clean.
Let cool. To prepare the frosting, whip the cream cheese, slowly incorporate the sifted powdered sugar and the lemon rind. 1 teaspoon at a time, add the lemon juice. I liked a consistency that was drizzable but if you are partial to one that is spreadable, add less lemon juice. Drizzle onto the cinnamon roll (putting the cake pan in a sink helps with the mess) and consume immediately.]]>Giant Apple Cinnamon RollPlum Streusel Cake (Plfaumenkuchen)bakeKara ChinThu, 21 Sep 2017 04:29:57 +0000http://kneadbakecook.com/blog/2017/9/18/plum-streusel-cake-plfaumenkuchen5508c899e4b0a308ed6ba859:550a7525e4b09f97e8986151:59c09840edaed8869724f7f2And thus I resume my adventures into more German food making.
Last year I made this German Apple Pancake. And prior to that there is of
course spaetzle which Popo would make for Kristen and I when we were kids
so it has a special place in my heart. We were obsessed with it but of
course ate it in the least German way possible with marinara sauce and
parmesan cheese. I can feel my friend Mark cringing and cringing. But we
will talk about spaetzle on another day.
This plfaumenkuchen which I have pronounced again and again in my head and
got kind of freaked out when hearing this pronunciation, is something that
I stumbled across by accident. Well not completely since I religiously read
Molly's blog. It got me researching more about plfaumenkuchen and it
sounded fascinating. Why would you not top bread dough with fruit and
streusel? It basically combines all of the things that I like. And since it
was finally gloriously cool enough to make bread, I decided to tackle this
thing that I had known nothing about only days before. And thus I resume my adventures into more German food making.

Last year I made this German Apple Pancake. And prior to that there is of course spaetzle which Popo would make for Kristen and I when we were kids so it has a special place in my heart. We were obsessed with it but ate it in the least German way possible with marinara sauce and parmesan cheese. I can feel my friend Mark cringing and cringing. But we will talk about spaetzle on another day.

This plfaumenkuchen which I have pronounced again and again in my head and got kind of freaked out when hearing this pronunciation, is something that I stumbled across by accident. Well not completely since I religiously read Molly's blog. It got me researching more about plfaumenkuchen and it sounded fascinating. Why would you not top bread dough with fruit and streusel? It basically combines all of the things that I like. And since it was finally gloriously cool enough to make bread, I decided to tackle this thing that I had known nothing about only days before.

It starts with what is called a coffee cake dough. This is different than coffee cake that is actual cake. The bread version often has the same toppings, but the end result is a different texture and the dough includes yeast. And of course the premise is that you would make this and eat it with coffee. As a non-coffee drinker, I would eat this anytime of the day coffee or not but can see it going well with a hot beverage. This dough is nice in that you can refrigerate it overnight and pull it out the next day/morning when you need it.

Like focaccia, you flatten it out on a large sheet pan. It helps to do this in increments and let the dough relax so you don't get too frustrated if it isn't spreading out. In the meantime, you want to thinly slice these gorgeous Italian plums. I have never worked with Italian plums before so was surprised to find their centers to be such a bright pretty green. These are more firm and less juicy than regular plums which makes them perfect for topping something like this where you don't want the end result to be soggy.

I am amazed at how these plums change color in the oven. They turn from bright green to a beautiful magenta/fuchsia. Basically the only kind of pink that I actually love. The plums melt into both the cinnamon sugar mixture and the streusel and are a perfect compliment to the bread base which is crisp and chewy with a light crumb. I ate a quarter of this in one day. It is so good fresh. But, also good toasted the next day or two while warm out of the oven.

I definitely want to make more iterations of this. Perhaps with apples the next time around?

Plum Streusel Cake (Plfaumenkuchen)

Yields: 8-10 servings

From MDS

Notes
This dough can be made the night before. Just remove it two hours before you want to use it to allow it to come to room temperature.
If you don't have the patience/time to lay out fruit in an organized manner, feel free to even distribute across the top of the cinnamon sugar mixture. We'll call it rustic.
I almost ran out of plums but had to slice the thicker slices into two and was able to just make it.
I would certainly double the streusel the next time around. Feel increase the flour, sugar and butter amount to a ½ cup each.
Ingredients
Dough
½ cup milk
¼ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup butter
2 tablespoons warm water
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 egg
2 cups of flour plus more for kneading.
Cinnamon Sugar and Plums
Butter to lightly grease a half sheet pan
¾ teaspoon cinnamon sugar
2 tablespoons sugar
1½ pound of Italian plums
Streusel
¼ cup flour
¼ cup butter
¼ sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Steps
Bring milk to a simmer with sugar, salt and butter. Do not boil. Cool to lukewarm. To proof yeast, place water in a large, warm bowl. Sprinkle in yeast and stir until dissolved. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy. Stir in milk mixture making sure it has cooled to lukewarm and then add in the egg and half the flour. Beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture is very smooth. Keep adding flour until dough is somewhat stiff and tacky. Remove from the bowl and knead by hand adding a little bit of flour until the dough is cohesive, smooth and sticks together but not on your hands. This should take about 10 minutes.
Let the dough proof in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap and then a warm, damp towel. You can let it proof overnight or in a warm, draft-free place for about two hours or until doubled in size.
Once proofed, knock down the dough and knead 10 times to release any other air bubbles. Thoroughly butter a half sheet pan and start spreading the dough with your fingers to get it thick enough to spread across the whole sheet pan. If the dough is bouncing back, let it rest a few minutes before trying again. You can also try pre-rolling it with a rolling pin and spread out the rest in the sheet pan.
In the meantime, mix the ¾ teaspoon cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of sugar together. Pit the prunes and cut into thin slices, about ⅛-inch thick. Once the dough has been spread across the whole sheet pan, sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly across the whole surface. Place the plums on top of the cinnamon sugar mixture in an even pattern. This does require some patience so put on some good music or a show in the background or use it as a meditation/thinking process.
Once all the plum slices have been placed, let the dough rise for an additional 30 minutes.
In the meantime, preheat your oven to 350ºF. For the streusel, mix together the flour, butter, sugar and cinnamon with your fingers until the mixture resembles sand. Sprinkle evenly on top of the plums. Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the center is cooked through. I slightly overbaked mine by 5 minutes but it turned out okay.
Best if eaten immediately. Pieces can be frozen and reheated in the oven until crisp.]]>Plum Streusel Cake (Plfaumenkuchen)Triforce Linzer CookiesbakeKara ChinFri, 15 Sep 2017 04:32:30 +0000http://kneadbakecook.com/blog/2017/9/14/triforce-linzer-cookies5508c899e4b0a308ed6ba859:550a7525e4b09f97e8986151:59ba02c718a0a2e3511a1713I made these for my coworker, Lydia, whose father passed away last week.
As is the nature of my office, we all decided to do something for her when
she returned to work. The first thing was decorating her desk with a forest
of flowers. Since Lydia loves Zelda, anything Triforce-related and dessert,
it was almost too good to pass up combining the three of those things into
one. The birth of these cookies came to me in a moment of pure joy and
excitement and I knew I just had to make them come to life. I think it's
actually pretty perfect that Lydia was born the year the first Legend of
Zelda game was released and that her dad knew that game through and
through. Kind of crazy how the universe is like that sometimes. I made these for my coworker, Lydia, whose father passed away last week.

As is the nature of my office, we all decided to do something for her when she returned to work. The first thing was decorating her desk with a forest of flowers. Since Lydia loves Zelda, anything Triforce-related and dessert, it was almost too good to pass up combining the three of those things into one. The birth of these cookies came to me in a moment of pure joy and excitement and I knew I just had to make them come to life. I think it's actually pretty perfect that Lydia was born the year the first Legend of Zelda game was released and that her dad knew that game through and through. Kind of crazy how the universe is like that sometimes.

For me, my knowledge of Zelda is actually quite limited. I never had the opportunity to play it as I was off sneaking away from trolls and fighting goblins and spiders in this Hobbit game. I loved that game so much so I guess it is okay that I missed out on Zelda. My first encounter of it was watching an ex-boyfriend play it back in 2009. It looked like fun but I didn't really get the chance to participate. Fast forward to present day and with the new Switch release suddenly everyone is talking about Zelda. It's pretty cool to have coworkers who nerd out on this sort of things and to have coworkers who don't nerd out on it actually support it. Needless to say, my knowledge of Zelda is limited to Link, cooking things, guardians and Triforces (which are more than just a hipster looking triangle thing, I had to look it up). But I'm all for making food that is interesting looking and delicious tasting. Throw in a little nerdism and I am totally game.

I made linzer cookies once before and really enjoyed the process it took to get to the end result. There's something about cutting out a center and having some sweet jam or curd poking through that makes them both attractive and more 3-dimensional than your average cookie. With the preponderance of fig jam lurking both in the fridge and in the back of my mind, I knew if I was going to make Triforce cookies, they would definitely be linzer based. I mean the shape is just asking for it. These cookies also brought back a memory of being bored in college and doodling. I used to be obsessed with drawing triangles and drawing triangles in patterns that would form hexagons. And well, these cookies are kind of the ultimate real life version of that.

To make these, you can use an equilateral triangle cookie cutter but that wasn't something that was at my disposal. I did have a mini triangle cookie cutter which was incredibly helpful when cutting out the centers but not necessary as I made you all a template! See below. Attempting to figure out how big to make the outer triangle based on the size of the smaller triangle was a doozy. I will admit, I don't remember my trig. I remember enjoying trig but not the exact details of it. I think food pushed all of that knowledge out through my ears. After trying to sketch out the larger triangle, I remembered I am a graphic designer and that Illustrator Illustratorcan do the whole thing for me. I still had to hand draw the larger triangle because I don't have a printer but it worked out nicely in the end.

The really awesome thing about cutting out equilateral triangles is that you can just start creating lines until the whole sheet of dough is all cut out. I found that a knife actually works better than a pastry/ravioli wheel because the lines came out cleaner. Also, rolling out cookie dough between two pieces of wax paper is a lifesaver for these. A kind of greasy lifesaver in the end but it helps with the cookie dough sticking as you can just peel it straight off of the wax paper.

For cutting out the center triangle, it is important to leave a little bit of room so that the top cookie stays connected. My template should compensate for that, but you want to make sure that the top cookie stays all in one piece. Cutting out the smaller triangle directly on the cookie sheet helps a lot with that as well.

After dusting the top triangles, assembly is really easy. Just spread some jam (any flavor of your choice!) on the bottom cookies and then sandwich with a powdered sugar top triangle. And the result is a pretty bad ass Triforce or a hipster's triangle obsession come true.

Still super pleased with how these turned out even though they are all happily eaten up.

Triforce Linzer Cookies

Triforce Linzer Cookie Template
Notes
This cookie dough does not need to be chilled before using. However, you can chill or freeze it if you are making it ahead. Let it come to room temperature before rolling it out.
Ingredients
3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter, cold & cut into chunks
1 egg
¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon pure almond extract
powdered sugar for dusting
¼-½ cup jam of your choice
Steps
To make the cookie dough, combine flour and baking soda in a medium bowl. Set aside. Cream the sugar and butter. Add the egg and extracts until combined. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat until it just comes together. Be sure to scrape down the bowl.
The dough will be crumbly, so knead it together with your hands as you scoop it out of the bowl until it comes together.
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Roll the cookie dough between two sheets of wax paper until it is 3/8-inch thick. Using the larger triangle from the template, begin cutting large triangle shapes from the dough. A ruler and a sharp knife to create clean and sharp lines is particularly helpful. Continue making lines and triangles until all of the dough is cut out.
Gently peel twelve triangles from the wax paper and place on a baking sheet. On six of those large triangles, cut and remove the smaller center triangle to create your "window". Be sure that there is enough of the dough connecting to keep the shape together. Bake for 9-10 minutes or until the corners are just lightly browned. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and carefully transfer the cookies onto a cooling rack. Continue to cut out the rest of the dough until it is all used up.
When the cookies are completely cool, separate the bottom triangles from the top triangles. Lightly dust the tops of the top triangles with powdered sugar.
To assemble, spread a layer of jam onto the bottom triangle cookie. Be sure to leave at least an ⅛-inch around the edge so the jam doesn't squeeze out when sandwiched. Carefully place on the top triangle cookie. Continue with the rest of the jam and cookies.
These cookies are best eaten within 5 days of making and can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature.]]>Triforce Linzer CookiesFig GalettebakeKara ChinFri, 08 Sep 2017 03:11:51 +0000http://kneadbakecook.com/blog/2017/9/7/fig-galette5508c899e4b0a308ed6ba859:550a7525e4b09f97e8986151:59b0a64a7131a5f35c08f1f8I have something embarrassing/silly to admit.
I still have not upgraded my camera lens and it has been almost two years
since I upgraded my camera body. I am so indecisive when it comes to larger
monetary purchases. I remember the first time I purchased my first DSLR (a
Sony a390)—that was huge. I loved the heck out of that camera. I took my
first photography classes with it and produced some really amazing projects
that I was so proud of in school. The originals still grace the wall in
front of my desk and are a constant reminder of the tug I felt towards the
combination of food, photography and design.I have something embarrassing/silly to admit.

I still have not upgraded my camera lens and it has been almost two years since I upgraded my camera body. I am so indecisive when it comes to larger monetary purchases. I remember the first time I purchased my first DSLR (a Sony a390)—that was huge. I loved the heck out of that camera. I took my first photography classes with it and produced some really amazing projects that I was so proud of in school. The originals still grace the wall in front of my desk and are a constant reminder of the tug I felt towards the combination of food, photography and design.

Soon after I was employed full-time at my current job, I treated myself by upgrading my camera body. Even that was a lot of push and pull, researching, thinking and finally making a decision. I have been happy with my current set-up even though *whispers* I still use my kit lens for the bulk of my food photography. Sometimes, it makes me feel a bit amateur because my alternate work food/photography/design persona is very professional. It took me a long time to accept that because I was hired straight out of school, with very little real life experience amongst coworkers who were at least 5-15ish years older than me. And now, I've finally at the point where I feel comfortable in my own skin as a peer and equal. I'm sure they all thought that long before I did though.

The thing about the lens is I know exactly which one I want and know that I would really love it. But still, something has been holding me back for the past year and some months. Like many major decisions, there comes a point where the thought is swirling around in my mind and that swirling suddenly turns from an eddy into a whirlpool. Right now, I'm in the beginning stages of that whirlpool stage.

From a creative standpoint, it shouldn't matter what kind of camera/gear you have to make great content. A lot of food photography is about lighting, composition and story—all things that don't require the latest and greatest equipment. But there is something to be said about a camera body that takes higher qualities images and has an intuitive interface and a lens that is faster, crisper and works well in lower light situations. So, I need to commit and I will very soon but sometimes it takes a lot of thinking and inner convincing to do so.

This galette is a recipe that brings back memories of last summer when I was first introduced to green figs and the many ways they can be integrated into baked goods or just eaten fresh when the centers are jelly-like and they squish like an overripe peach shouldn't. Even as summer is winding down and my beloved peaches are dwindling down to their last juicy days, at least there are figs and the reminder that this Valley heat won't last forever and fall is just around the corner.

I like that this recipe is simply pie crust, fig jam and fresh figs. Brushed with an egg wash and topped with turbinado sugar if you are feeling fancy (I wasn't/I don't have any), this galette is best fresh out of the oven as dessert or the next day as breakfast.

My form of dessert pizza.

Fig Galette

Yields: one 10-inch galette

Notes
If you are looking for a fig jam recipe, this is the one I used.
Also, you can use any variety of fig that you like!
Ingredients
Half of this pie crust recipe or other pie crust of choice
4 tablespoons of fig jam
16-20 Kadota figs, sliced horizontally into ⅛-inch slices
Egg wash
Turbinado sugar (optional)
Steps
Preheat oven to 400ºF.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat. Set aside.
Roll out your pie crust into a 12-inch diameter circle, about ⅛-inch thick. Spread the jam onto the bottom of the rolled out pie crust into about a 10-inch diameter. Place sliced figs on top of the jam in a circular pattern. Continue until the jam is covered with figs. Fold the crust over about 4-inches at a time, overlapping at the corners. Brush the top with an egg wash and top with turbinado sugar if desired.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes, slice and enjoy.]]>Fig GaletteLemon Curd CakebakeKara ChinFri, 25 Aug 2017 05:15:06 +0000http://kneadbakecook.com/blog/2017/8/24/lemon-curd-cake5508c899e4b0a308ed6ba859:550a7525e4b09f97e8986151:599e416a03596ec874c7bfc9I've been holding out on this cake for way too long—since May.
This was not on purpose, though. I just got distracted by other seasonal
summer things like my beloved stone fruit. See this pie and this yogurt. In
summer my blogging tends to be slow. It's either too hot to make things or
I'm away on weekends which is generally the best time to photograph or
binging on some TV show.I've been holding out on this cake for way too long—since May.

This was not on purpose, though. I just got distracted by other seasonal summer things like my beloved stone fruit. See this pie and this yogurt. In summer my blogging tends to be slow. It's either too hot to make things or I'm away on weekends which is generally the best time to photograph or binging on some TV show. This summer it was Master of None, Dear White People and 13 Reasons Why. I know, I was totally late to the game for all of these but I could not stop watching 13 Reasons Why especially. Did you know they filmed a lot of it in the area I grew up? Mostly I was drawn to it for it's romantic aspects and my inner need to find answers to unanswered questions despite the overall heartbreaking story.

And so here we are where my blog post "reserves" have run out and I am now finally, months later, writing about this cake.

This cake first caught my eyes when I was skimming through Food52's newsletter. Back in spring, I was on a lemon curd kick (again). It first started with these cookies and then continued with this cake. It was infuriating when I got the consistency wrong so I would make it again just to make sure that I was able to make it properly and hadn't been fooling myself the whole time.

But the lemon curd wasn't the only thing that sucked me in to make this cake. I love anything that is easy and simple. I generally get turned off by recipes that have a million ingredients in them. This recipe only had 5 which is a miracle if you are baking. I did end up making my own self-rising flour and lemon curd because I had a bunch of lemons (how come you always have a lot when you don't need them and none when you do?). In the end, it ended up being more than 5 ingredients but definitely worth the extra homemade work. And also definitely not a must.

It is still totally okay with store-bought lemon curd and boxed self-rising flour.

While we wait for it to be appropriate baking weather, here's some cake to keep us going until fall is actually here.

In the meantime, back to reading more back story on 13 Reasons Why and enjoying peaches before they go out of season for months and months.

Lemon Curd Cake

Ingredients
¾ cup superfine sugar
6 ounces butter, at room temperature
12 ounces lemon curd (or freshly made)
3 eggs
scant 2 cups self-rising flour
Optional: Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Steps
Preheat the oven to 375° F.
Line an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
Beat the sugar and butter until well mixed, then add half the jar of lemon curd. Mix well. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Sift over the flour and fold in using a metal spoon.
Turn the mixture into the prepared pan, then drop teaspoons of the remaining lemon curd randomly over the top of the cake. Swirl with a knife to make a pattern. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Leave the cake to cool in the pan.
Turn out, remove the baking paper, and dust with sifted confectioners' sugar if desired.]]>Lemon Curd CakeAll of the Stone Fruit PiebakeKara ChinWed, 09 Aug 2017 04:42:16 +0000http://kneadbakecook.com/blog/2017/8/8/all-of-the-stone-fruit-pie5508c899e4b0a308ed6ba859:550a7525e4b09f97e8986151:5979523d1b631b892b7c0b49After the workshop a few weeks ago, I was super eager to make pie again.
If you've been following this blog, you know that I love stone fruit and
love pie so putting them together, especially since it is summer, was an
obvious choice. Plus, I had way too much that I needed to use up. From top
to bottom, there is a yellow nectarine, a red plum, white peaches, a yellow
peach, a white nectarine and a black plum. I have to say, I'm not really
digging plums this year unless they are a hybrid of plum-cherries or
plum-nectarines so was happy to put them in a baked application.
The best part of this pie is that when all the fruit is cooked together, it
doesn't really matter what stone fruit you put in it or how ugly or
blemished they are in the end. I actually much prefer just ripe, blemished
and imperfect stone fruit than having to choose among perfect unripe stone
fruit that seems to ripen in odd ways or way too slowly and then you end up
with a hard piece of stone fruit that's basically an apple. That was a long
run-on sentence but let's just say I am very particular about my fruit. After the workshop a few weeks ago, I was super eager to make pie again.

If you've been following this blog, you know that I love stone fruit and love pie so putting them together, especially since it is summer, was an obvious choice. Plus, I had way too much that I needed to use up. From top to bottom, there is a yellow nectarine, a red plum, white peaches, a yellow peach, a white nectarine and a black plum. I have to say, I'm not really digging plums this year unless they are a hybrid of plum-cherries or plum-nectarines so was happy to put them in a baked application.

The best part of this pie is that when all the fruit is cooked together, it doesn't really matter what stone fruit you put in it or how ugly or blemished they are in the end. I actually much prefer just ripe, blemished and imperfect stone fruit than having to choose among perfect unripe stone fruit that seems to ripen in odd ways or way too slowly and then you end up with a hard piece of stone fruit that's basically an apple. That was a long run-on sentence but let's just say I am very particular about my fruit.

Like the Nectarine Frozen Yogurt, I chose to blanch this fruit because I figured it would turn nice and soft in the oven and fruit skin would only disrupt that texture. Not mandatory but a nice added step if you want to take your pie filling to a different level.

For the crust, I used Cup4Cup's Pie Crust Mixwhich was part of the workshop swag. My cooking and baking tends to not be of the gluten-free variety because to me flour is power. If I had to choose bread over rice, I would choose bread much to the shock of my sister, Kristen and thus making me even less Chinese than ever.

I am all about trying new things and experimenting so I didn't hesitate to try out this pie crust. Normally, for my pie crust, I don't add an egg yolk so I completely forgot it for this recipe. I would suggest not following my lead, reading the instructions and adding the egg yolk because I ended up having some crust issues. Because there is no gluten present, and I didn't add an egg yolk to bind everything together, the crust didn't really like to stay in one piece when rolled out. In the end, the bottom crust was patched together and I had to get creative with the top crust and went the route of cookie cutter shapes. So it all worked out in the end. Phew!

Although it was pretty nerve-wracking trying to parse this crust together (and of course, I decided to make this pie on like a 110ºF day), I was impressed with the texture and taste of Cup4Cup's crust combination. I would still rather go with a gluten version but if I was baking this for someone who was on a gluten-free diet, I would attempt this crust again.

P.S. If making a gluten-free pie for someone with a gluten-free allergy, remember to have some alternative to conventional flour to both thicken the filling and roll out the pie dough. I had neither, so this pie is not technically all gluten-free.

The right photo is my attempt to get yogurt to look like either melted ice cream or very light whipped cream since I had neither of those options. In the end, the yogurt just makes this pie perfect breakfast material.

All of the Stone Fruit Pie

Yields: 1 9-inch pie

Ingredients:
Double pie crust recipe
4½ cups assorted stone fruit, blanched and cut into one-inch pieces
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons of thickening agent (i.e. flour, cornstarch or tapioca flour)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
Egg wash for basting
Steps
Prepare pie crust and split into two pieces. Chill for at least 1 hour or overnight. Once chilled, remove one piece and roll out to fit in the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan. Chill while you prepare the filling.
To blanch the stone fruit, fill a 2-quart pot with water and bring it to a boil. In a large bowl, prepare an ice bath. In the meantime, wash the stone fruit and score an X on the bottom with a paring knife. Submerge the stone fruit in the boiling water for 40-60 seconds. You will see the skin starting to pull away where the X was scored. Place the stone fruit in the bowl of ice water to cool. Once cooled, remove the skins and pits and cut into one-inch pieces.
Preheat oven to 425ºF. Place a tray covered in foil or a non-stick baking sheet on the lower rack of the oven to catch any dripping sugar.
Combine the cut peaches, granulated sugar, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, thickening agent, lemon juice and lemon zest into a large bowl. Mix thoroughly and dump in the prepared bottom crust of the pie.
To form the top crust, roll at the dough to an eighth-inch thickness. Using a 1-2 inch circular cookie cutter, stamp out shapes and overlap in a circular pattern. Baste with an egg wash and bake for 50-60 minutes or until the top and sides are golden brown. Let cool at least 2 hours before slicing or preferably overnight.]]>All of the Stone Fruit PieNectarine Frozen Yogurtdrinks & frozen treatsKara ChinSun, 30 Jul 2017 06:16:35 +0000http://kneadbakecook.com/blog/2017/7/29/nectarine-frozen-yogurt5508c899e4b0a308ed6ba859:550a7525e4b09f97e8986151:597953008419c206391a76ecWow, two years since having this blog and this is the first frozen treat
I've made!
And I only realized this because this does not fall under the category of
kneading, baking or cooking. Hmm, I sense a flaw in my recipes section.
But, I'll figure that out at another point in time.
Looking back, this is actually the second frozen treat on this blog.
Technically, I made these ice cream sandwiches two years ago but the bulk
of the recipe was baking and the ice cream was of the store bought
variety.
Frozen yogurt brings back memories of high school in Hawaii and going to
Yogurtland after school with friends. It was such a treat. I, of course
would go the all chocolate route. Chocolate froyo with Heath bar bits,
chocolate chips, malt balls and M&Ms all hopefully at an appropriate weight
of pure goodness. You would rarely ever find fruit in one of my frozen
yogurt concoctions.Wow, two years since having this blog and this is the first frozen treat I've made!

And I only realized this because this does not fall under the category of kneading, baking or cooking. Hmm, I sense a flaw in my recipes section. But, I'll figure that out at another point in time.

Looking back, this is actually the second frozen treat on this blog. Technically, I made these ice cream sandwiches two years ago but the bulk of the recipe was baking and the ice cream was of the store bought variety.

Frozen yogurt brings back memories of high school in Hawaii and going to Yogurtland after school with friends. It was such a treat. I, of course would go the all chocolate route. Chocolate froyo with Heath bar bits, chocolate chips, malt balls and M&Ms all hopefully at an appropriate weight of pure goodness. You would rarely ever find fruit in one of my frozen yogurt concoctions.

Since Kristen moved back to Hawaii and left me to take care of her ice cream maker (read: use it at your leisure) I've been using it once a month when it is too hot to turn on the oven and I've run out of sweet treats plus have enough freezer space. While being stuck alone with a whole bunch of ice cream sounds like the best idea ever, I chose to be good and go the more healthy route with some frozen yogurt.

A key part of this recipe is to blanch the nectarines. When I was younger and when Food Network was actually educational, I thought blanching stone fruit or tomatoes was just a foofy technique for people who were didn't like the skin on fruit. After learning and watching it being performed in action last summer, I was amazed. How could fruit skin peel away so easily?? But, I guess that is the whole point. So, take the time to blanch your fruit for this frozen yogurt. Btw, this is a good tutorial.

Technically an ice cream maker is not needed for this recipe since we aren't trying to churn air into liquid cream. But, I wanted to see if it made any difference. Sadly, this science failed because I churned all of it and forgot to leave some aside to just freeze immediately.

The gist of this recipe is to flavor your own yogurt (which you can eat as is) or additionally freeze it and turn it into frozen yogurt. Making your own flavored yogurt is actually pretty easy. I think I will partake in it more in the future.

This Nectarine Frozen Yogurt is slightly tangy from the yogurt and nectarines but sweet and creamy like good ol' ice cream. The addition of nectarine bits is my favorite and is best eaten as a late afternoon snack when the sun is still blazing and it's too hot to start thinking about dinner.

And yes, I totally had some for breakfast, too.

Nectarine Frozen Yogurt

Yields: 8 servings

Ingredients
4 large nectarines, peeled and pitted
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3 cups 2% plain Greek yogurt
Steps
If using an ice cream maker, make sure to freeze it at least 12 hours or overnight.
To blanch the nectarines, fill a 2-quart pot with water and bring it to a boil. In a large bowl, prepare an ice bath. In the meantime, wash the nectarines and score an X on the bottom with a paring knife. Submerge the nectarines in the boiling water for 40-60 seconds. You will see the skin starting to pull away where the X was scored. Place the nectarines in the bowl of ice water to cool. Once cooled, remove the skins and pits. Reserve ½ cup of the nectarine and chop for the final frozen yogurt.
Place the rest of the nectarines, sugar and lemon juice in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Add in the Greek yogurt and blend until combined. At this point, this is your flavored yogurt.
If using an ice cream maker, churn for 20 minutes and add in the rest of the nectarine chunks at the last few minutes. If not using an ice cream maker, fold in the nectarine chunks and freeze until solid.]]>Nectarine Frozen Yogurt